January 26, 2015
UPDATE (8:35 p.m.): Mayor Nutter’s announcement on whether schools and city offices will be closed tomorrow is coming up at around 10:00 p.m. Stay tuned. The winter storm is expected to intensify overnight, according to Accuweather.
A snow emergency has been declared in the city beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday. If you parked your car on any of the snow emergency routes, please move it before 6 p.m.. Here are snow emergency routes in West Philadelphia:
• Chestnut Street from Cobbs Creek Parkway to 20th Street
• Walnut Street from Broad Street to Cobbs Creek Parkway
• Woodland Avenue from Cobbs Creek Parkway to University Avenue
• 34th Street from University Avenue to Grays Ferry Avenue
• 38th Street from Walnut to University Avenue
• 63rd Street from City Avenue to Walnut Street
• University Avenue from 38th Street to 34th Street
• Island Avenue from Woodland Avenue to Enterprise Avenue
• Cobbs Creek Parkway from Walnut Street to Woodland Avenue
• Schuylkill Avenue from Market Street to Walnut Street
If your vehicle remains on one of these streets it will be ticketed and towed. If your car is towed, call 215-686-SNOW to find out where it was taken.
The city has also cancelled trash and recycling pick-up on Tuesday. If your trash collection day is Tuesday please keep your trash and recyclables until next Tuesday.
UPDATE (2:50 p.m.): SEPTA has announced that Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line train service will operate all night:
Here are some more snow and cold weather-related reminders:
January 26, 2015
UPDATE (1/26/2015): Monday’s SHCA Zoning Committee meeting has been cancelled due to the inclement weather. The meeting will be rescheduled for sometime in mid-February, according to Spruce Hill zoning committee chair Barry Grossbach. Stay tuned for more information.
The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) will be holding a Zoning Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 26 to consider the widely discussed residential and commercial project at 4224 Baltimore Avenue.
As a reminder, the development team for 4224 Baltimore Avenue has applied for zoning to get the city’s approval to construct a 132-unit residential complex at the site. The project evolved from a series of neighborhood meetings and was discussed at an open meeting of Spruce Hill zoning last spring. Now that a formal application has been made, the project development team, U3 Advisors, are required to have public meetings with neighbors through community associations.
The zoning meeting will be held at the SHCA headquarters at 257 S. 45th Street, starting at 7 p.m. All interested neighbors and residents are welcome to attend.
At this meeting, you can also learn about The Fresh Grocer’s application for the right to sell beer under conditions specified in its lease agreement with the University of Pennsylvania.
January 23, 2015
Shuttle buses will replace Route 34 Trolley on Sunday, Jan. 25, due to overhead wire work, SEPTA has announced. Shuttle bus operation will begin at 2 a.m. Sunday and will continue throughout the day, until the end of service.
SEPTA has posted the following advisory for the route:
Westbound Service (towards 61st St. & Baltimore Ave.):
Customers should board Trolleys in the Tunnel and transfer to the Route 34 Shuttle Bus at 40th St. Portal for service towards 61st St. and Baltimore Ave.
Eastbound Service (towards 13th & Market Sts.):
Customers should exit the Route 34 Shuttle Bus at 40th St. Portal and transfer to Trolleys for service towards 13th & Market Sts.
January 22, 2015
Nafis O’Neil (photo from Twitter).
Funeral services for Nafis O’Neal, the 14-year-old who died after being stabbed by a schoolmate on Jan. 16, are scheduled for Saturday. Nafis has been remembered this week by family, friends and neighbors as a respectful young man who was eager to help other people.
A freshman at West Philadelphia High School, Nafis was raised by his grandmother on the 3800 block of Haverford Avenue. Friends and family gathered on Monday evening for a vigil on the block near 46th and Market where he died when a 16-year-old student stabbed him once in the chest in what appears to be the continuation of a fight that started earlier in the day at the West Philly High cafeteria.
Police say they found a knife and bloody clothing at the suspect’s home on the 3800 block of Haverford Avenue. The 16-year-old was arrested within hours of the stabbing and was charged with homicide and related charges earlier this week. We are not releasing his name because of his age. It is unclear whether he will be tried as an adult.
Morgan Zalot of the Philadelphia Daily News wrote a nice tribute to Nafis here, including words from his aunt.
Nafis was riding his bike when he was killed. He spent a lot of time at Neighborhood Bike Works, the West Philly-based non-profit that helps kids develop leadership skills and responsibility through repairing and riding bikes. The organization tweeted photos of Nafis yesterday:
The viewing for Nafis will be held at St. Jude Baptist Church at 632 N. 38th Street on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Arrangements are being made through Mitchum-Wilson Funeral Home.
– Mike Lyons
January 21, 2015
Tax season is here, and here’s some useful information for those who didn’t make a lot of money last year and need help filing their taxes. Starting Monday, Jan. 26, and through April 15, 2015, 20 free tax sites managed by the Campaign for Working Families will be open throughout Philadelphia. The sites will be offering free tax preparation and e-filing services to families who earned less than $53,000 in 2014 and to individuals with an income under $20,000.
Here are the locations of free community tax sites in West and Southwest Philadelphia:
West Philadelphia
Drexel University Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships, 3509 Spring Garden (wheelchair accessible)
Monday & Wednesday 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Friday 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Continue Reading
January 16, 2015
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is rapidly approaching, and there are many opportunities to volunteer and celebrate starting this weekend. An hour or two of your time is all it takes to make a difference on this special day. If you know of any opportunities or events not mentioned on this list please take the opportunity to share in the comments below. And go to www.mlkdayofservice.org to find more events in your area.
MLK Day of Service at Bartram’s Garden
54th and Lindbergh Blvd.
Jan. 19, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Your volunteering will make a difference at Bartram’s Garden, where you will be inspired by the Garden. You will also get a free T Shirt and Lunch!
To register email tgreenberg@bartramsgarden.org
“What’s in your mind? What’s in your hands?”
Organized by the Philadelphia Community of Leaders
Harambee Charter School – 640 N. 66th Street
Bartram High School – 2401 S. 67th Street
Jan. 19, from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
At these two locations you will find an organized community celebration with open discussion and teach-in, an opportunity to learn about the role people young and old play in creating awareness to social justice and consciousness raising. Everyone will be invited to learn about the legacy of activism by Dr. King. There will then be an opportunity to speak out about the agenda for increasing activism in 2015 as well as recognizing those who have been consistent in their efforts in our collective advancement and forward progress. Continue Reading
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